Ukraine ‘has turned into a totalitarian state’: an interview with Ukrainian philosopher Baumeister has caused a great stir on social media

An interview with well-known Ukrainian philosopher Andriy Baumeister for the Russian opposition publication “Meduza” caused a significant stir on social media.

The headline of the interview highlighted Baumeister’s statement that during the war, Ukraine “has turned into a totalitarian state.”

The philosopher said that Ukraine today represents a “small totalitarian system” fighting against a “large totalitarian system”—namely, Russia.

Baumeister explains in detail why he thinks this in his responses to the journalist’s questions. According to him, the war has not become a reason for the authorities to unite Ukrainian society. On the contrary, it deepens divisions based on language, affiliation to different branches of the Orthodox Church, and “persecutes dissenters.”

Often, the ruling team “follows the lead of narrow nationalist groups,” although this segment of society could create significant problems for them in case of any agreement with Russia. In general, the course has been set for a serious narrowing of all citizens’ rights and freedoms. However, corruption and attacks on businesses have not decreased.

“Who said that during the war you need to steal? Who said that during the war you need to fight against the church? Who said that during the war you need to neglect the interests of your citizens, internal migrants, and put them in a difficult situation? Who said that you need to engage in racketeering and seizures, dividing property during the war?” the philosopher questions.

In Baumeister’s opinion, the country might not fully recover after the war, as it will lack resources—primarily human resources. This, he believes, will be Ukraine’s real defeat.

Therefore, he says, it is in Ukraine’s interest to end the war as soon as possible. Otherwise, the country will nullify any prospects for its development.

“A country with a sharply reduced population, without prospects for serious economic, intellectual, and cultural development, will have little chance to exist as a modern state if the war drags on. If Ukraine emerges from the war in such a state that it can no longer move independently in any direction of historical development, it will be a defeat. It seems that Ukrainian politicians do not understand this,” says the philosopher.

In Ukraine, this interview sparked a heated discussion. Supporters of “war until the victorious end” condemned it angrily. At the same time, there were a significant number of those who supported the philosopher’s position.

Essentially, Baumeister in his interview expressed the views of that part of society which sees danger in prolonging the war and advocates for its swift end along the current front lines.